One of our members, Cimon, kindly sent me a used copy of this remarkable volume a couple of years ago, and although it's almost frighteningly hostile to Cicero, you can't get around the fact that he DID write the letters upon which Carcopino pounces.

I was always intrigued by that bio glimpse of an elderly Augustus who finds one of his grandsons - Gaius or Lucius - reading Cicero's books. Apparently, it was either against the law to do so, or the kid knew how grandpa felt about Cicero, because he was scared and tried to hide the book. Augustus pounced on it and sat for quite some time, reading it, and ended with the quote that Cicero was a great man and a lover of his country.

Just where, and how, and if Augustus did encourage publication of the letters - well, it seems rather unlikely, doesn't it, since Cicero spends a great deal of time downing Julius Caesar, the 'deified"??? So I'm puzzled. Perhaps Augustus DID admire him, even though he agreed to have him killed. Perhaps he had ulterior motives? Perhaps the publication was "underground," in which case it was Atticus? But remember, Atticus gave his only daughter to Agrippa as his wife!!!